Blue letter
Rebecca Campbell, Deputy Director: Communication, Education and Stakeholder Relations: Western Cape Liquor Authority
The article "Cubana liquor trading hours extended"(Atlantic Sun, November 26) refers.
The setting of trading hours for liquor licence holders is currently a local government competency and is regulated by municipal by-laws. Should a licensee wish to extend their trading hours, application is made to the municipality. In this case, it was the City of Cape Town, who then, through their own processes, consider the application and either grant or refuse it.
The article states that “Despite objections from ratepayers, the application for an extension of liquor trading hours by Cubana in Somerset Road, Green Point, from 2am until 4am, has been approved by the Western Cape Liquor Board.”
However, the extension of liquor trading hours by Cubana was in fact approved by the City of Cape Town Sub-council 16.
The story also states that “Chairman of the DWCA, Gary de Klerk said they are shocked and disappointed by the Western Cape Liquor Board’s decision to extend Cubana’s current liquor licence from 2am until 4am.”
However, it was not the Western Cape Liquor Board’s decision to extend Cubana’s liquor licence from 2am until 4am.
This was the decision of the City of Cape Town Sub-council 16.
The article quotes the chairman of the DWCA saying that “The WC Liquor Board appears to have completely ignored and dismissed the DWCA ratepayers’ objections, the massive adverse impact it will have on residents and visitors, ecclesiastical and social community services in the immediate vicinity, the objection process and also the accurate and written record of anti-social and often violent and dangerous criminal activity outside the venue”.
This statement is misinformed and factually incorrect as per the first two points above.
Sub-council 16 manager, Gershwin Fouldien, responds:
The sub-council does approve the extension of liquor trading hours but for liquor licence applications, we can merely comment on the application.